Valheim is a game that is constantly updating with new biomes, systems, and fixing old issues. And because of that, players come back to it all the time to check out what's changed. Additionally, there are always new players coming in, just starting it for the first time.
But Valheim's multiplayer experience can be a bit harrowing for newcomers, especially as there is a lot that is naturally learned over 10-20+ hours into playing. Having this knowledge from the start would have made the initial first couple of hours much more enjoyable. So, here are some of the best beginner tips that should get players started in Valheim in the best way possible.
8 Learn The Intricacies Of Combat
Valheim's combat system is a much deeper than it initially appears. When players first start the game, they usually just swing, block, and jump to avoid attacks in combat. Meanwhile, veteran players who have mastered their parrying, dodge rolls, backstabs, and stagger attack timing are watching the beginners and scoffing.
The best advice for newcomers is to simply learn the basic combat mechanics, such as:
- Parry Timing: Press block the instant before an attack makes contact to parry. Players will get a unique visual effect and sound when a perfect parry is done.
- Dodge Rolling is useful when the player doesn't have a shield or if the enemy hits hard enough to go through their shield. It has I-Frames while the player character is rolling on the ground, but as soon as their role is "finished," they can be hit again.
- Backstabs include any attack against an unaware enemy, not necessarily from the back. Backstab damage is individual to each weapon, and each one should say what its multiplier is.
- Stagger Attacks are used right after an enemy has been parried and is staggering backward. Each enemy's stagger animation is different, but usually pretty obvious to players' eyes. Stagger Attacks deal double damage.
7 Get A Bow At Some Point
Build a bow as soon as possible. A lot of players may want to "gimmick" themselves into using a specific weapon type such as axes, spears, or even fists while ignoring bows. While this can technically be done, it makes the game astronomically more difficult overall and likely less enjoyable.
Without a basic bow (or one of the other bows), players will have a ton of trouble hunting, and won't have any safe ranged attack option against brutal enemies like Deathsquitos. They'll also be defenseless if attacked at sea, as Serpents rarely get close enough to get a hit on when they're not mid-chomp.
6 Rested & Comfort Level Mechanics Are Essential
Almost every longtime Valheim player likely wishes they knew the importance of the Comfort and the Rested Bonus earlier. The Rested Bonus is given to a player who is sitting near a fire, is dry, and is usually within a shelter as well. When applied, the player gets +200 percent HP regeneration and +300 Stamina regeneration for the entire duration, which makes combat, exploration, and even scavenging much easier. Players should keep constant track of how much time their Rested Bonus has left, and refresh it as soon as it runs out.
Additionally, they'll want to build an area or room of their base that's dedicated to improving the "Comfort" of the room. This can be done by building specific items such as rugs, thrones, and even a hot tub. This Comfort Level determines how long the Rested Bonus lasts overall, so it's incredibly important.
5 Keep A Workbench & Campfire Supplies Handy
Another seemingly small thing that will prove to be a huge help to newer Valheim players is the act of always bringing a Workbench and some extra wood/stone with them whenever they go adventuring. On long adventures, players will likely need to heal, refresh their Rested Bonus using a Campfire, and even build temporary shelters when they get jump scared by Odin watching them in the distance.
In fact, it's a general rule of thumb that players should build a campfire and maybe some basic walls around the entrance to any Dungeon they find. This allows them to heal and "reset" before heading into the dark and dangerous dungeons.
4 Marking The Map Is A Huge Time-Saver
Players will need to learn how to map in Valheim works. Overall it's a pretty standard map, with only the parts the player has actively explored being shown, while the rest is covered in a sort of "fog-of-war." However, many beginner players miss or don't realize the sheer number of easy-of-use features this map has. For example:
- There are a number of different "stamps" that players can put on their map. Players can use thee to denote different things they've found. They can even label each stamp as well.
- Hovering the mouse over different parts of the map will show that area's "biome" in the top right such, as a Meadow or a Black Forest.
- Left-clicking on a Stamp will "X" it out. This is very handy for players in multiplayer to show what Dungeons they've already cleared.
- The Cartography Table allows each player's map to be updated with what other players have marked. Make sure to interact with it right after returning from each adventure.
3 Never Pass Up Berries, Thistle, Or Mushrooms
Valheim is a survival game, which means players are going to be cutting down trees, building their own homes, and collecting way too much random stuff to store in a bunch of different chests that are poorly organized in their "storage room." The collecting part, in particular, is extra important. Every single thing in Valheim has a function or use, from random flowers to mob drops.
Three items in particular are found incredibly early and are worth building a surplus of: Berries (Raspberries, Blueberries, and Cloudberries), Thistle (found in Black Forests), and Mushrooms. All three of these ingredients are part of a variety of different end-game food and mead recipes, so players should always leave a couple of slots in their inventory for them when out gathering.
2 The Difficulty Scaling Is Rough
Within the first 10 to 20 hours of playing Valheim, new players are rudely introduced to the brutal difficulty curve from Biome to Biome. The Greydwarfs in the Meadows are nothing in comparison to the Trolls and Skeletons in the Black Forest. Meanwhile, the Wolves on the mountains are basically always one to two-shot killers (and sometimes even sky assassins).
Beginners should keep this in mind and try to avoid exploring too much outside of their current biome, before building the highest tier of gear (armor and weapons) their Workbench/Forge currently allows. As players unlock the ability to craft more additions to their Workbench/Forge, they'll also get access to higher-tier weapons and armor relative to the biome and so on.
1 Learn How Meals Work
Unlike many other RPGs or even Survival games, Valheim does not have a way for players to permanently increase their HP and Stamina (and it doesn't have a creative mode). Rather, instead, players need to eat and drink properly to buff their HP and Stamina to absurd levels. Without the right HP or Stamina-buffing items, players will die in a single hit or so to most enemies.
Some meals affect HP, while others affect Stamina. Keeping a constant stockpile of cooked food, keeping track of which food/drink increases which Stat by the most, and so on will go a long way towards keeping the player alive.